


Not Just For Today

by Ink_Gypsy



Series: Sanctuary Singles [8]
Category: Lord of the Rings RPF (AU)
Genre: M/M, Sanctuary Universe, Sean Astin/Elijah Wood - Freeform, mother's day fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 17:06:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10903728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ink_Gypsy/pseuds/Ink_Gypsy
Summary: Sean’s mother asks a favor of Elijah on Mother’s Day





	Not Just For Today

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Mother's Day 2017. Part of my Sanctuary Universe.

[](http://imgur.com/eqdZrH9)

“Aren’t you going to call your Mom?” Elijah asked. “Did you forget it was Mother’s Day?”

Sean hadn’t forgotten. By now the flowers he’d ordered from his mother’s favorite florist would have been delivered, and she would be moving the vase from place to place, trying to decide where they looked best.

When Sean didn’t answer, Elijah tried again. “Sean? Aren’t you going to wish your Mom a Happy Mother’s Day?”

“Maybe later.”

Instinct telling him that Sean wasn’t being totally forthcoming, Elijah went to him. “Is something wrong? Is your Mom sick?”

Sean shook his head. “Nothing like that.” He could see Elijah wasn’t buying it, so he said, “I just didn’t want to make a big deal out of Mother’s Day this year.”

“Why not?”

“I – ah…thought it might be painful for you because your Mom’s gone.”

Elijah was moved by Sean’s concern. “You don’t have to worry about me, Sean,” he said. “My Mom died when I was fifteen, and I’ve gotten used to not being able to celebrate Mother’s Day anymore, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy that you still can.” He kissed Sean’s cheek. “I’m very grateful you still have your Mom, and I hope she’ll be around for a lot more years.”

“I hope so, too.” Sean sighed. “She may not be the easiest person to get along with, but I love her.”

“You’re supposed to love her,” Elijah acknowledged. “She’s your Mom, so you need to call her.” The decision was taken out of Sean’s hands when the cell phone Tilda had gifted them with began playing the ring tone he had assigned to his mother. Elijah pursed his lips. “She must have known you were looking for a way out of calling her.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. When it comes to knowing what their kids are thinking, a mother’s mind-reading ability can cross any distance.”

Elijah smirked. “Say hello for me.” He got his CD player and went out to sit on the porch.

Sean pushed the talk button and answered, “Hello, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.”

“Thank you, Sean. And thank you for the flowers. I love the arrangement.”

“I’m glad. Is Mac taking you and Dad out to dinner?”

Anna harrumphed. “I’m not holding my breath.”

“Don’t tell me he forgot Mother’s Day.”

“No, he gave me a gift card. Not very original, but I suppose it’s the thought that counts.”

“That’s the theory.”

“I hope Elijah didn’t make his mother call him today the way you made yours,” Anna said in a way that wasn’t quite a reprimand, but Sean got the point.

Sean had given his mother a lot of information about Elijah, but realized he’d never told her that Elijah’s mother had died. “Mom, Elijah lost his mother when he was fifteen.”

“Oh Sean, I’m so sorry. That poor boy.”

“He’s dealt with it, but he still misses her,” Sean offered.

“Of course,” Anna said, as if that were a given. “Do you think I could say hello to him?”

“I’m sure he’d like that,” Sean said. He wasn’t sure, but stepped out onto the porch with the phone anyway..

When Elijah saw him, he slipped off his headphones. “What’s up?”

With his hand over the mouthpiece, Sean said, “Mom wants to say hi.” He grimaced. “Do you mind?”

“Of course not,” Elijah said, taking the phone from Sean. Thinking Sean might like to hear what his mother wanted to say to him, Elijah hit the speaker button. “Happy Mother’s Day, Mrs. Astin.”

“It’s Anna,” Anna corrected him.

“Anna,” Elijah repeated. “I’ll try to remember.”

“Elijah,” Anna said, “Sean told me your mother isn’t with us anymore. I’m so sorry, dear. It must make days like this very difficult for you.”

“It is hard seeing all those ads on TV,” Elijah admitted, “but I’ve gotten used to it. Are you having a nice Mother’s Day?”

“Very nice, thank you, and because it’s Mother’s Day, may I ask you a favor?”

Taken by surprise, Elijah replied, “Of course. What can I do for you?”

“I know I can’t take her place, but would you allow me to think of myself as your mother, just for today?”

Elijah was so touched by the request that at first he couldn’t answer. Finally he said, “That would be cool. I mean, I’d like that, Mrs. A—Anna.”

“Good. I’ll enjoy being your mother, even if it's only for a little while.”

“I’ll enjoy it, too,” Elijah told her, then asked, “Would you like to talk to Sean again now?”

“Yes, dear, and thank you, Elijah, for letting an old woman have her way.”

“You’re welcome,” Elijah said, “and since you’re my mother, just for today, let me start over and say, Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.”

Sean heard his mother’s voice catch in her throat, and listened to her quickly clear it. “Thank you, Elijah. Goodbye.”

As Elijah handed him the phone, Sean mouthed _Thank you_ , then went back inside to continue his conversation with his mother. Once he was alone, he took the phone off speaker and said, “That was a very nice thing you did, Mom.”

“You heard?”

“Yes. Elijah had you on speaker. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Well I wish I’d known that our conversation wasn’t private, but suppose it doesn’t matter since it’s over now. And since you _did_ hear, have I made you jealous by adopting Elijah for the day?”

Sean smiled. “Not at all, Mom. In fact, you’ve made me very happy. Elijah doesn’t have the best relationship with his father or his brother. The only one he's close to is his sister, so thank you for making him feel like he’s a part of our family.”

“Now that you two are together, he _is_ a part of our family,” Anna said, “and not just for today.”

“I feel the same way, but I still appreciate what you said. Enjoy the flowers, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Sean Patrick. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

After he’d ended the call, Sean went back out onto the porch. Elijah hadn’t put his headphones back on and was just wearing them around his neck. Sean sat down beside him. “I had no idea that Mom was going to do that. I’m sorry if what she asked made you feel uncomfortable.”

“It didn’t,” Elijah told him, “and I was happy to be able to do something to please her.” For a moment, a faraway look came into his eyes, as if he was suddenly somewhere else. Then it disappeared, and he was back with Sean again. “It was no big thing,” he assured Sean, “and it was kinda nice having a mother to talk to, even if it was just for a few minutes.”

“Well it meant a lot to Mom, and since she means a lot to me, thank you for being so kind to her, Elijah.”

“I owe her a lot,” Elijah said, “so it’s the least I could do.”

“You owe my mother?” Sean asked, puzzled by Elijah’s admission. “How could you? You’ve never even met her.”

“I feel like I know her because I know you, and she’s a big part of the reason you’re the man you are, so I owe her.” Elijah smiled at Sean, his eyes full of longing. “And if it’s okay with you, I’d like to pay her back by showing her son how much I love him.”

They went back inside, stopping only long enough to toss the phone and Walkman on the table. “It’s more than okay,” Sean said, then taking Elijah’s hand, led him into their bedroom.

[ ](http://imgur.com/PJSJWJ9)


End file.
